Question: Simplify the following expression: $y = \dfrac{-7x^2+23x- 6}{x - 3}$
Explanation: First use factoring by grouping to factor the expression in the numerator. This expression is in the form ${A}x^2 + {B}x + {C}$ First, find two values, $a$ and $b$ , so: $ \begin{eqnarray} {ab} &=& {A}{C} \\ {a} + {b} &=& {B} \end{eqnarray} $ In this case: $ \begin{eqnarray} {ab} &=& {(-7)}{(-6)} &=& 42 \\ {a} + {b} &=& &=& {23} \end{eqnarray} $ In order to find ${a}$ and ${b}$ , list out the factors of $42$ and add them together. The factors that add up to ${23}$ will be your ${a}$ and ${b}$ When ${a}$ is ${2}$ and ${b}$ is ${21}$ $ \begin{eqnarray} {ab} &=& ({2})({21}) &=& 42 \\ {a} + {b} &=& {2} + {21} &=& 23 \end{eqnarray} $ Next, rewrite the expression as $({A}x^2 + {a}x) + ({b}x + {C})$ $ ({-7}x^2 +{2}x) + ({21}x {-6}) $ Factor out the common factors: $ x(-7x + 2) - 3(-7x + 2)$ Now factor out $(-7x + 2)$ $ (-7x + 2)(x - 3)$ The original expression can therefore be written: $ \dfrac{(-7x + 2)(x - 3)}{x - 3}$ We are dividing by $x - 3$ , so $x - 3 \neq 0$ Therefore, $x \neq 3$ This leaves us with $-7x + 2; x \neq 3$.